Discussion Regarding Terpelaziun Protocols

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

You want me to stay, I'll stay... but I'm 40 goddamn years old with a Masters Degree. I don't have anymore time in my life to argue with children! If I want to argue with kids, I have a 8 & 9 year old at home.

Davinescu

Edited to add tag @Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM Mr. Secretary, I assume you will be charitable in your requests for decorum with your own party members? Coming from another 40-something with a Masters degree.

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

You want me to stay, I'll stay... but I'm 40 goddamn years old with a Masters Degree. I don't have anymore time in my life to argue with children! If I want to argue with kids, I have a 8 & 9 year old at home.

Davinescu

Edited to add tag @Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM Mr. Secretary, I assume you will be charitable in your requests for decorum with your own party members? Coming from another 40-something with a Masters degree.

I'm not entirely sure what you are getting at Senator. Are you saying that acting in my role of Secretary of State I've soft-peddled enforcing Wittiquette with members of the FreeDem party? I'm fairly certain I've been fair to everyone. If I'm wrong, I'll stand corrected.

Nevertheless, I only just saw the posting in question and have not even had time to respond to it (which I will do next).

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

You want me to stay, I'll stay... but I'm 40 goddamn years old with a Masters Degree. I don't have anymore time in my life to argue with children! If I want to argue with kids, I have a 8 & 9 year old at home.

Davinescu

I would remind the Senator/Minister of the rules of Wittiquette and decorum. Please refrain from cursing or calling other citizens children.

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

You want me to stay, I'll stay... but I'm 40 goddamn years old with a Masters Degree. I don't have anymore time in my life to argue with children! If I want to argue with kids, I have a 8 & 9 year old at home.

Davinescu

I would remind the Senator/Minister of the rules of Wittiquette and decorum. Please refrain from cursing or calling other citizens children.

Thank you Mr. Secretary

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

You want me to stay, I'll stay... but I'm 40 goddamn years old with a Masters Degree. I don't have anymore time in my life to argue with children! If I want to argue with kids, I have a 8 & 9 year old at home.

Davinescu

I would remind the Senator/Minister of the rules of Wittiquette and decorum. Please refrain from cursing or calling other citizens children.

Thank you Mr. Secretary

Let us also avoid commenting in this thread as it is a terpelaziun directed at the Seneschal (and so far anyone BUT the Seneschal has commented, including myself!)

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

You want me to stay, I'll stay... but I'm 40 goddamn years old with a Masters Degree. I don't have anymore time in my life to argue with children! If I want to argue with kids, I have a 8 & 9 year old at home.

Davinescu

I would remind the Senator/Minister of the rules of Wittiquette and decorum. Please refrain from cursing or calling other citizens children.

Thank you Mr. Secretary

Let us also avoid commenting in this thread as it is a terpelaziun directed at the Seneschal (and so far anyone BUT the Seneschal has commented, including myself!)

I'll say again that you should remember to be even-handed in your advice, Mr. Secretary.

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

Let us also avoid commenting in this thread as it is a terpelaziun directed at the Seneschal (and so far anyone BUT the Seneschal has commented, including myself!)

I'll say again that you should remember to be even-handed in your advice, Mr. Secretary.

Senator, my comment quoted above was to all of us (and note I even included myself). Please, once again, refrain from commenting in this terpelaziun.

[Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu, O.SPM]

Not at all Dr. Nordselva. I do apologize for my tone... I was emotionally comprised due to discussions this morning with a colleague that was considering self-harm.

I also apologize for responding before you could address it.

Respectfully,
Sen. Davinescu

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Regarding terpelaziuns and their protocol:

In the first place, I'd like to remind everyone that I am the duly-elected Tuischac'h of the Cosa of the Kingdom of Talossa, and the Organic Law of that Kingdom of Talossa accords it among my duties to remind Members of Cosa of appropriate decorum, as well as to "preside, direct, and maintain order" during legislative discussion and debate in general (Org.IV.12).

Accordingly, I would like to be clear that terpelaziuns are not required to be one-on-one discussions between a single MZ and a Government official.  The terpelaziun process is intended to be an orderly online implementation of the Terpelaziuns period that may take place during Living Cosas, modified to specifically include only members of the Government.  It is not useful or reasonable to attempt to restrict terpelaziun threads to only the questioning MZ and the named member of Government.  We have repeatedly seen examples of why this is not reasonable, as when the Minister of Technology asked the Secretary of State to voluntarily join a discussion to answer a relevant question.  It would not have served the country to require mediation or further process to facilitate that discussion.

The rules of the terpelaziun process are simple and finite.  Any MZ, excluding His Majesty, may ask any named member of the Government a question on a topic "connected with their Ministry or on matters of administration for which they are officially responsible."  The Government official is legally obliged to reply within a week, under penalty of law.  If they fail to do so, the Seneschal must answer for them.  The questioner may ask additional "supplementary" questions after a reply is received, each with the same weeklong deadline.

In addition to these rules, common sense dictates obvious further guidelines.  A question must be capable of being answered, and replies should be pertinent and responsive to the question.  Supplementary questions that carry the force of law must be relevant to the same topic, "supplementing" that inquiry.  And the general decorum of the Cosa requires that all involved conduct themselves with courtesy.  Courtesy does not proscribe passion, but it does proscribe rudeness.  It does not proscribe accountability, but it does proscribe baseless accusations.

Reasonable discussion by others who are privileged to speak in these chambers is permitted.  If a terpelaziun provokes an extended discussion, that is a good thing, so long as it otherwise accords with expectations.  No other questions are legally binding, and discussions should remain topical.  Discussions that venture afield from the topic under discussion will be redirected to a new thread.

If at any point any MZ or member of the Government believes that any of these rules, guidelines, or expectations are being broken, then they should direct their complaints and requests for redress to the Tuischac'h.  The Secretary of State has quite enough to do without being expected to monitor every discussion between legislators and officials, and the law dictates that "[e]ach officeholder or head of agency shall be responsible for monitoring any boards provided for their use, and reporting any problems to the Chancery as needed" (Lexh.J.2).

I am confident in these conclusions, based on the law, past precedent, and good sense.  However, I am also very open to discussions or debate on these guidelines.  If anyone wishes to continue this aspect of the conversation, that will be fine.  Please feel free to remind me of an omission or error.  If someone feels as though we should formalize these rules, I am also open to that, although it doesn't seem necessary to me.

@Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM , please split this thread after Ministreu Davinescu's reply, above, when the discussion about decorum began.  Please move all posts after and including MC Tzaracomprada's first reply above, to a new thread.  Please include this post as well, but do not include the Seneschal's topical response.  Please title the new thread, "Discussion regarding terpelaziun protocols"

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

Estimat Tuishach,

I believe I have split the topic as you requested.

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

Thank you, Tuischac'h, for clarifying on this matter.